They just signed this guy who in 4 ML seasons has an 8.04 ERA in 171 IP !

Why don't they dig up Warren Spahn ? He couldn't be any worse.

soxfan13

02-14-2006, 02:39 PM

WHat the hell cant even find him on baseball-reference. Is Rusty his real name or nickname?

KRS1

02-14-2006, 02:39 PM

Here's a good quote from his former Padres pitching coach.

"But that's OK," said Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley. "Rusty was good before the surgery, and you tend to be more patient with lefties who throw hard. We need to be patient with him, but he's back on track now."

From earlier in the BA article...........

"He felt great nine months after the surgery, but his once mid-90s fastball was a pedestrian mid-80s."
"When I'm healthy, I can run it up there pretty good," the 24-year-old said. "And it wasn't too long ago that I was in the mid-80s and struggling.
"Everyone was telling me to be patient. That everything would be fine. That my stuff would come back. I was confident it would, but until it does, there is always a little doubt."

Here's some more from other articles..........

"I was a guy who could throw consistently 93-94 mph and touch 95-96. Now I'm 87-90," Tucker said. "I want to be back where I was, and the doctors say it will come back one day. So I may be better off in the long run because I'm learning how to pitch now without great stuff. There is no doubt in the world now that I'll come back."

"Lefthander Rusty Tucker looked like the Padre's closer of the future in 2002, hitting 99 mph on the radar gun and posting 88 strikeouts in 66 innings. He had Tommy John surgery after that, though, and has lost enough off his fastball that he is no longer able to dominate. The Padres hoped this might be the season he recovered his old form, but his fastball has been in the low 90s and has been flat and hittable. A 15th-round pick out of Maine in 2001, Tucker was 2-2, 5.26 at Mobile. His strikeout numbers, 42 in 38 innings, showed progress, but his 27 walks were far too many."

Here's some stuff about his 2005 AFL, his stats look solid on the surface.
"Padres prospect Rusty Tucker (2-0) picked up where Hammond left off in the fifth, tossing two hitless innings to pick up the win."

Sounds like a pretty solid chance were taking on a guy who use to have some of best heat of any lefty in baseball before TJ surgery about 1 1/2 season's ago. From all his reports after the surgery he was building up good steady strength every time he went out there, and with an extra off-season of rest my bet is on KW gambling that he has notched his FB up even more than the low 90's he was hitting last year(his first season back from the injury). I know TJ is nothing to take lightly, but look at guys like AJ Burnett and how he maintained his velocity afterward. Here's to hoping Tucker shook off all the rust,pun intended.:gulp:

soxfan13

02-14-2006, 02:46 PM

Doesnt sound like a bad shot then!!:smile:

Ol' No. 2

02-14-2006, 04:11 PM

He had Tommy John surgery in 2004. It normally takes 18 mo. or more to fully recover, so I wouldn't put to much weight on last year's numbers. For the cost of a waiver claim, how can they go wrong? The last pitcher Kenny claimed off waivers turned out pretty well.

Sargeant79

02-14-2006, 04:16 PM

Doesnt sound like a bad shot then!!:smile:

Agreed. There's certainly no risk. And KW has had a pretty good return on moves like this where a relatively obscure pitcher comes in, proves himself in camp, and becomes a valuable asset (Loaiza, anyone?) I'm hoping all these lefties being invited to camp push each other and one of them comes out overachieving. Here's to Tucker having a great spring. :smile:

daveeym

02-14-2006, 04:22 PM

He had Tommy John surgery in 2004. It normally takes 18 mo. or more to fully recover, so I wouldn't put to much weight on last year's numbers. For the cost of a waiver claim, how can they go wrong? The last pitcher Kenny claimed off waivers turned out pretty well. That 18 is just to get fully healthy. For most guys this doesn't always mean "game" shape. It can take a bit longer for some to get the velocity and fluidity back.

Wimpy

02-14-2006, 05:26 PM

We got the dude because he has such a cool name.
Kenny is good at picking guys up off the scrap heap. He may turn out to be decent. Definitely worth the risk.

KRS1

02-14-2006, 06:02 PM

A guy who Ive wanted us to get for a while now(come one that jersey would be mine) just get DFA'd, he could worth a shot now, after a full season to heal from surgery. Come one Kenny keep em' coming.

Also, in reponse to the post above, is there is cooler name than Jung Bong?

ondafarm

02-15-2006, 09:43 AM

I'm sure the Sox have him scouted pretty well seeing how he played last year mostly in the Southern League across the state from the Barons. He's got an option left so I wouldn't be surprised if the Sox pull a Jenks with this guy.

Tekijawa

02-15-2006, 09:47 AM

He did the same with Jenks last year and Loiza 3 years ago, some time you find gold in the Scrap heaps...

Save McCuddy's

02-20-2006, 12:56 PM

He had Tommy John surgery in 2004. It normally takes 18 mo. or more to fully recover, so I wouldn't put to much weight on last year's numbers. For the cost of a waiver claim, how can they go wrong? The last pitcher Kenny claimed off waivers turned out pretty well.

I won't put too much weight on the negative numbers from last season, but I'm certainly excited by the 9.9 k's per 9 out of a lefty who will presumably get healthier as time goes by.

Nifty move to add a power arm with upside.

broker3d

02-20-2006, 04:07 PM

Who knows if Tucker will work out but I think this is a great signing. There is very little risk here and if his arm fully heals this could be another KW steal.

The Dude

02-20-2006, 04:22 PM

No risk, typical KW move that could prove to be solid but if not....he can just cut his losses. There is a reason they make the big bucks watching film on these guys.

daveeym

02-20-2006, 04:51 PM

Ok maybe this is a better thread to post my visual on how and why we sign these types of guys.

Deep in the bowels of US Cellular Field you can come across a non-descript door that almost blends in with the drab grey concrete. Copper and cast iron piping runs along the ceiling blocking the top 1/4 of the door. On one side is a broken down Churro stand that now reads "hurro." On the other side is a steel shelving unit full of old hot dog trays, scorecards, programs and cotton candy carriers used by the vendors.

The door has no handle and is secured by a latch and an old lock, which today is left undone. Upon entering the room the door squeals in agony and the odor of stale cigar smoke is evident. Bags of McDonalds, Wendys and BK litter the floor of the room. There are numerous tables and shelving units with hundred of video tapes and reels of film piled upon them, marked with unintelligible scribbles.

Off in the corner behind a table piled with at least 500 tapes and reels of film is a dim light on the floor, coming from what appears to be another door. You begin to notice a fast paced clickety-clickety-clickety sound. As you near the door the sound gets louder and you realize the floor is covered in broken beer bottles. You hear what sounds like maniacal cackling alternating with thunderous boos and occasionally glass being shattered.

As you slowly creep nearer to the door, being careful not to disturb the shattered glass on the floor, a chill goes down your spine. You reach the door and begin to inch it open, cringing and shuddering with every sound it makes. You go to look through the crack of the door when a beer bottle suddenly crashes against it causing you to wet your pants a little. You attempt to look through the crack again when you see the most horrific sight you've ever imagined!

In front of a large projection screen sits Don Cooper and Herm Schneider, in oversized tighty whities that leave nothing to the imagination, as you can see their old man balls dangling in the wind. They're passing hot wings back and forth with most of the sauce ending up on their stained wife beaters. On a table in front of them are dozens of tapes and empty beer bottles. A garbage can full of iced beer to the side of each of them.

You look to the projection screen and see a wide angled shot of a pitcher completing a pitch, the camera zooms in on him and you can tell it's Carey Woods.

Coop and Herm leap from their seats, balls still dangling in the wind, and begin booing and screaming "Flounder" while lunging toward the table. They begin throwing beer bottles at the giant image of Woods scowling on the screen, flinging them at an alarming rate. The screen goes black and they slowly settle back into their seats, grab another beer and twist the top off with their belly buttons.

Another pitcher comes onto the screen and you can make out Tucker on the back of his jersey. Coop stares intently at the screen, his interest seems to be peaking. He nudges Herm with a meatless chicken wing, leaving a trail of sauce, bleu cheese and saliva across Herm's cheek and shoulder. Coop's frantically trying to talk but all that comes from his mouth is unintelligible mumblings and bits of chicken. Herm now jumps to his feet and in an eerie low pitch drawl says, "We can rebuild him!!!". Coop swallows the rest of his chicken and begins laughing hysterically. "IT'S ALIVE!!!!" he shouts.

As you begin to creep away from the door, trying to remain quiet and keep from vomiting, you can hear Coop quietly whispering, "This one is for Master Williams."